

He “co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sports washing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation,” the group said in a statement. Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva/AFP/Getty Imagesīlinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmanĩ/11 Families United effectively accused Monahan of using the tragedy as leverage in a business deal to reunite golf. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gives a speech at the Helsinki City Hall in Helsinki, Finland, on June 2, 2023. Now Monahan stands to be the effective supremo of global golf, save for the four majors – the sport’s most prestigious tournaments – aided by a gusher of Saudi cash. Monahan had played the 9/11 card last year at the same event, saying that two families that were close to him had lost loved ones in the worst terror attack on American soil, adding, “I would ask any player that has left, or any player that would ever consider leaving, have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, for instance, had some explaining to do – not least to the tour’s players gathered at the Canadian Open this week after many tweeted that they had no advance notice of the deal. This can only pose uncomfortable questions to fans whose values and history clash with those of distant and sometimes politically dicey entities who effectively own their teams and top stars.
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It also exposes top PGA leaders – who had blasted golfers who defected to LIV – to accusations of hypocrisy and reflects the way modern professional sports are hostage to the highest bidders.

And all pending litigation between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour was also mutually ended under the new agreement.īut for others, Tuesday’s peace deal on the links raises painful moral issues. Global golfers stand to win a lot more money, various tours will be invigorated and Saudi Arabia’s government and its ruthless leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), get to be associated with one of the planet’s most prestigious year-round sporting properties.
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Who can begrudge them one oasis free from bitter, tribal modern politics?Īnd the deal is also undeniably a great piece of business, assuming PGA Tour players accept it.

They like to plop down on the couch and watch their favorite golfer on the back nine on Sunday or their Gulf-owned Premier League team on TV. It is beyond doubt that the new reality of pro-golf will mean a better spectacle for fans since it will end the split between the two rival tours and will also fold in the DP World Tour (formerly known as the European tour) and mean the brightest stars will play one another more often.įor many sports fans in the US and elsewhere, that’s just fine. PGA Tour announces shock reconciliation with Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf Team Captain Dustin Johnson of 4 Aces GC celebrates making his putt on the 18th green to win during the team championship stroke-play round of the LIV Golf Invitational - Miami at Trump National Doral Miami in October 2022.
